Divisi
When to plant Green gram in Dowa
Central, Malawi
Green gram (also called mung bean or ndengu) is a fast, warm-weather bean that goes from seed to harvest in just 60–90 days — quick enough to dodge a dry spell and to slot in after your maize, sorghum or millet.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 28 Oct 2026 – 16 Jan 2027 opens in 4 weeks | 29 Aug 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.5 t/ha | about 2.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 27 Dec 2026 to 16 Apr 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 60–90 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 60–124 days per hectare, by hand | |
Rain-fed. These dates are worked out from each place's own rainfall, for a field watered by the season — with irrigation a window can open earlier, close later, or come round more than once a year. Check your own field under What grows, or get the Divisi app for a calendar dated to your farm.
If you only get one chance to plant, aim for around 6 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Dowa is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 16 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Dowa
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For green gram in Dowa, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 88%. You cannot flatten it, but you can farm it: plant along the contour rather than up and down, ridge or tie ridges to hold water on the slope, and expect shallower rooting than the crop would manage on flat ground.
The 2026/27 season in Dowa
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | November 2026 to April 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 854 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 854 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.4 °C over the growing months. Heat makes the same rain do less, so a dry spell bites sooner: do not plant late, and shade or mulch what you can. |
| What that supports | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 95% of this area. |
| 95% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 165 growing days · about 880 mm · November to April |
|---|---|
| 3% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 164 growing days · about 900 mm · November to April |
last updated 17 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What green gram needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained loam or sandy loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 7.5 |
| Spacing | 37 cm between rows, 10 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus |
What it takes to grow green gram in Dowa
| Nitrogen (N) | About 60 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 15 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 27 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. Skip the nitrogen top dressing; inoculated seed does that job. |
| Hand work | 60–124 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a green gram crop of that size carries off the field. What you actually apply depends on what your soil already holds — which is what a soil test, or the app's field records, tell you.
What to watch for
Grow Green gram with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Dowa as a whole — your own soil, slope and rainfall will shift the dates. The Divisi app works them out for your field, and dates each job that follows.
Green gram in nearby districts
This calendar moves
Planting windows shift with the forecast. Leave your email and we'll send what changed, and a note when planting time nears — a couple of emails a month at most.
Frequently asked questions
Will green gram grow well in Dowa?
Dowa rates as favourable for green gram.
When should I plant green gram in Dowa?
Typically 28 Oct 2026 to 16 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Dowa, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
